Good, Bad, and Ugly
by yoylaluna
Summary: In their seventh year everything changes in Hermione's life. Living situations, friendships, boyfriends. Will she and Draco learn to get along? Will her friendship with Ron ever return to normal? Hermione is forced to deal with people and issues that she
1. Long Summer Days

Author's Note: I'm a new fanfiction writer. I've started writing in hopes that the more I write the more my skills in English class and on the SAT critical reading and writing sections will improve. I promise to try to update as often as humanely possible with my hectic schedule. (Tennis season and AP tests are soon approaching) I would appreciate anyone's opinions and suggestions about my story! That's all for now, I hope you all like it! This story will be post OotP and not HBP compliant because… well, that leaves open more romance coupling options. Lo siento to all of you who are completely against that.

Long Summer Days

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, one at a time. Sun was streaming in through her window with the warm summer heat that was growing more annoying to her each day. _Damn,_ she thought. _Why couldn't I have just shut the blinds before I crawled into bed? _Like most mornings, her TV was tuned into infomercials on the station she was watching before falling into a fitful sleep. She pulled the covers over her head and moaned. Making a mental list in her head, she began to plot out her day:

Get up and make bed

Pick out clothing

Shower

Breakfast

Write Ron and Harry

Homework

Lunch

Start Packing for School

Date with Sam

Smiling at her last thought she swung her legs out from under her comforters and pulled an oversized sweatshirt on over her pajamas. Sam was her new "summer stand" as she saw it. He was a muggle and she was a witch, she understood it would never work out in the end. Nonetheless she enjoyed being seen as the "lucky" girl to dating a "total catch," and it was a simple way to pass the time before she would return to Hogwarts.

She wandered around her perfectly cleaned room searching for clothes and books that she would need throughout the day. Settling on a denim mini skirt, tank top, and flip flops and a pile of books on the history of witches during the French Revolution she dumped the mass of items onto her bed. She pulled out the clothes and headed to the shower. As the water from the tap began to heat, she reveled in how a good long shower could make her remember everything about her friends at school. Images of Harry and Ron popped into her head. The memories were never of dangerous adventures or of the many scares that they constantly endured, but of the little things within their daily lives. During this particular revel, Hermione was going over a Hogsmade visit that stayed glued in her brain.

The trio decided to sneak into Honneydukes in order to get sweets for a winter break party to be held in the Gryffindor common room. As they slid through the witches hump towards the tunnel burying its way to the sweet shop's cellar they all giggled and jostled one another playfully. They jogged through the cramped, cold passage, their cold breath billowing around them. The boys had their arms around her and it was one of the few moments where everything seemed to be so stress free.

She snapped out of her memories when she heard the buzz and tune of her cell phone from the bathroom counter. Turning off the shower, Hermione quickly grabbed it and checked the name on the ID. It said "Sam calling." Frowning, she thought _Hmm, maybe he's finally calling to tell me that I'm too weird for him and he met some blonde bimbo who looks better in a bikini. _

"Hello? Sam?"

"Hey, Mione?"

"Don't call me 'Mione,' Sam. I've told you that."

"Right, well anyway, do you want Italian or French tonight? Your choice, I made you try Ethiopian last time. So, what'll it be?" Hermione thought for a moment before responding. Sam was one of those well-to-do prep school boys with a nice car and a stylish way of living. She would personally prefer a burger and fries to fancy cuisine any night, but this was only temporary.

"I'll take Italian. That would be great. Seven o'clock right?"

"Yes, ma'am! I'll pick you up in the jag. Bye babe."

"Whatever, bye." As she hung up the phone she caught herself thinking how much any other muggle girl would envy her. Sam was the dream date. He had everything to impress the female population. The one thing that he didn't have, however, was a brain. Even worse, he didn't even have an inkling of the magical world, or what could be accomplished by living in it. This is what made Hermione positive that this so called relationship would only be a stupid, summer waste of time; not an actual, lasting relationship. She mentally ticked off one more day until she could head to platform 9 ¾ to catch the Hogwarts express back to school. Only nine horribly hot days left.

For three hours after the phone call she immersed herself into her History of Magic assignment on the role of witches during the French Revolution, only stopping briefly for lunch. By four in the afternoon she was thoroughly exhausted and realized that she hadn't written to either Harry or Ron yet! Quickly shoving her books into their rightful places on her massive bookshelf, she quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and started scribbling.

_Dear Ron and Harry,_

_I can't believe that we're going back to school in only nine days! I miss you terribly. How are you doing on your homework assignments? You haven't waited until the last minute again have you? I haven't quite finished myself. I still have about two feet left of the history assignment, I've only completed two! How are things at the Burrow? I hope you haven't blown anything up. (Just kidding you) I'm going out with Sam again tonight. He can never compete with you two, though, as you are the only male companions worth my time and affection. (Just teasing you there too) I hope you boys have had a good time and we'll meet up on the first! Save me a seat on the Hogwarts Express so we can catch up!_

_All My Love,_

_Hermione_

By the time she had completed her letter it was almost six o'clock. She only had an hour until her date, but she was already dressed and wasn't in the mood to go out of her way to impress Sam. She simply sat on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Rolling over on her side, she grabbed at the head girl badge sitting on her nightstand and pulled it towards her. Her fingers roamed aimlessly over the school's seal and her name shining in Gryffindor colors. She stayed that way for a long time until Sam rang the doorbell.

"Hermione your perfect boyfriend is here!" Her mother screamed in delight. Not only was Sam the perfect boyfriend, but he was also the perfect parent's pet. He always said the correct things to impress her mother, and made the appropriate small talk with her father. They both positively beamed whenever he came to the door. Hermione rolled her eyes and slowly got off of her bed and put the badge back on her nightstand to leave for her date.

The date was like every other. Sam took her out to some fancy restaurant where the waiters all knew his name, and he ordered funny food in different languages for her. They had the same worn out conversations of school, sports, and Sam's many fortunes and blessings. Then they would leave in his car and drive somewhere remote where she would let him touch her, or kiss her in ways that made her shiver and cringe. It wouldn't matter if she didn't want to, or if it made her uncomfortable. It would just happen, and she had long since given up on caring. The only thing she could think about was how these actions should make her blush with sheer joy. At the end of the night, Sam would offer her a drink from a bottle nicked from a parent's cupboard or a friend's party. Every time, Hermione refused and went into her house wishing she hadn't gone on the date at all, but oddly looked forward to the next small outing. Without these miniature, if not predictable, rendezvous her time waiting for the Hogwarts express would be even more unbearable.

For the next eight days, she went out with Sam or packed. Either way she couldn't stop thinking about how exciting the mere thought of leaving her small town for the school she loved was.


	2. New Beginnings

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

On September 1st, Hermione bounced out of bed and out into the upstairs hallway. The aroma of her father's "world famous" pancakes drifted up the stairs to greet her. As per Granger tradition, she and her parents sat down at the kitchen table for a sendoff breakfast.

"Happy first day honey!" her father exclaimed as he spotted her in the kitchen doorway. Hermione glanced up at the banner hanging above the sink and chuckled to herself. They always went way over the top with their sendoffs, but she knew that it was just because they loved her and would miss their only daughter over the course of the year. As she began to untie the ribbon on the box her parents had placed in front of her it moved. Startled, she glanced at her Dad. "We bought him so that you could stay in touch with us more easily. We know how much you loved that Cat and we thought that you would like another pet." The box popped open and Hermione squealed.

"Oh my! He's so cute!" The little golden owl would never be a replacement for Crookshanks after he had passed away, she was most definitely a cat person, but he was a very cute owl. "Thank you so much you guys! I think that I'll name him Thor. It sounds like a strong name to balance out his small stature." She giggled and with that Hermione bounced out of the room in the same manner she bounced in.

On the train, Hermione brought her stuff into the head compartment. Draco Malfoy wasn't there yet. She sighed and sat down to wait for him to show up. In order for her to be able to go and visit with her friends, he needed to get there so that they could delegate the new common room system for the Prefects. Hermione looked out the window and saw Lucius grab his son's elbow roughly and shake him.

Though the war with the Dark Lord had been finished since the February of her sixth year, Malfoy's smooth talking and generous financial contributions got him dismissed from all offenses he had been charged with. Hermione sighed. _Well at least he's here so we can begin._ Just as she completed the thought, Draco stormed into the compartment and slammed the door. Hermione was slightly taken aback as she watched him face the window, run his fingers through his platinum hair, and let out a quiet moan.

He turned and sat across from Hermione and he stared right into her eyes for the first time ever. She sat there with her mouth hanging slightly open for a few moments. _God I feel uncomfortable._

"Granger" Malfoy stated, "We need to work together this year. So, can we maybe not kill each other? I mean, honestly, we're nearly adults so we should work as such. What do you think?" Hermione stared at him for a second before speaking.

"Um, Draco who are you and why did you drink polyjuice potion to become _a Malfoy_?"

"I didn't. This summer has been an, erm, experience. What do you say?" He stared at her expectantly.

"Well, alright. Let's get down to this rooming thing. We have to split up the Prefects and pick common rooms for every two. The seventh years should be sharing with other seventh years, and likewise with the sixth years. Also, the combinations for houses in each year should not be the same. No Slytherin with Slytherin and so forth. We have our own common room as the Head Girl and Head Boy. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Yeah. Don't put two girls in the same common room. They'll gang up on us and paint the whole school pink!" He smirked and ruffled his hair.

"O.K. fine. That can be arranged." She snorted and quickly covered her mouth. She could feel her cheeks getting warmer as a deep blush rose up her neck. "How 'bout we put Ron with Susan, Blaise with Ernie, and Rose with Sean? That takes care of the seventh years. We can put Ginny and that Slytherin boy Thomas together. Collin can room with that Jeanne girl from Ravenclaw, Alexia can go with the other Hufflepuff Matt, and finally Julie and Sam and be put in the same common room. Any objections?"

"Absolutely not! Now that we're done we should go and enjoy the company of our friends."

"Sounds good. Meet me in the entrance hall a few minutes before Dinner ends so that we can set up the Prefects with their room assignments."

"Will do ma'am." So, with another classic smirk Draco was off. Hermione just sat in her seat for a moment perplexed. _Why was he being so nice?_ She wondered to herself. _Whatever, I don't want to dwell on it. Might as well go and find Harry and Ron._

She left her heads compartment and went to find her friends. As she walked down the length of the train, she heard the group of voices that she loved so much. Hermione peered through the door and saw that Harry, Ron, and Neville were engrossed in a game of exploding snap. Ginny was lying idly on the seat next to Harry with her feet dangling over his lanky legs. Luna was also with them, laughing at something Neville had just shouted as a card blew up in his face. These were her friends, her family away from home. Some days she felt that even if her whole world collapsed, as long as she still had these people in her life she could get through anything. _This must be true, unconditional love._

Opening the compartment door, Hermione plopped down on Ginny's stomach and was promptly dumped onto the ground. Laughter erupted from the group and their friendly banter could be heart throughout the halls of the Hogwarts Express. Draco Malfoy sighed, longing to be accepted into a group of friends like the ones that Hermione had.

AN: What do you think? I promise to try to not make this whole Romance thing with Severus too tacky. I totally understand that some of the stories get redundant after you've read a whole bunch! I also apologize for making Draco pretty OOC, Snape will be the same way so if you absolutely hate it the stop reading. That's all for now. It's summer so I should be updating more. REVIEW! Much Love, Jaime


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